


The Shadow of Dunwall

by DaughterofAres2019



Series: Tales of Dunwall [5]
Category: Dishonored (Video Games)
Genre: Canon Universe, Eventual Smut, F/M, Friends to Lovers, Originally Posted on FanFiction.Net, mentions of violence and murder
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-04-25
Updated: 2017-04-25
Packaged: 2018-10-23 19:06:51
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 12,512
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10725360
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DaughterofAres2019/pseuds/DaughterofAres2019
Summary: Corvo was thought to be working alone. But since the events transpired, it has come to light that he had a young girl helping his revenge fueled quest. She was nothing special, but she helped save the city all the same. Follow Aarin as she fights her way through Dunwall at Corvo's side.





	1. Chapter 1

My heart sank as I heard the news that Corvo, the Lord Protecter had been arrested on the charge of murdering the Empress. I, of course, did not believe that story one bit. From what I knew about him, he would never do anything to harm the Empress or Lady Emily. Though he would be joining us soon.

I worked alongside Admiral Havelock and Lord Pendleton. And we were working on a plan to break Corvo out of Coldridge Prison. And then he and I would be sent out to purge the city of the Lord Regent, the High Overseer, and the rest of the Overseer's. They were ruining the city and everyone in it, though Corvo and I would be the two to bring the city back to its peaceful state.

Over the next six months, I worked with Admiral Havelock closely to train myself for the upcoming months. Corvo was much more skilled then I was, so I had to be able to join him on a similar level.

On the morning that Corvo arrived, I grew excited. When Samuel pulled up in the boat, I ran down towards it, wanting to see the Lord Protecter again.

"Good to see you again, Aarin," Samuel greeted me, stepping out of the boat and hugging me.

"You too, Samuel," I replied.

After we broke away, he said, "Aarin, I'd like you to meet Corvo Attano. Admiral Havelock told you that he would be helping us. Could you take him around the Hound Pits and get him used to the surroundings before he heads off to see the Admiral?"

I nodded. "Of course! Just follow me, Corvo."

Corvo followed closely behind me as I led him towards Piero's lab. He greeted us warmly before shoeing us away since he was very busy. Giggling lightly, I led him inside the pub and up the stairway.

"And this is where the servant's quarters are, and the Admirals and Pendleton's rooms are located," I explained, pointing out each door. Corvo nodded.

"And your room is all the way on the top floor. It's right next to mine. The Admiral wanted us close together since we will be working closely together over the next couple of months."

Corvo turned to look at me, shocked. "Working closely together?"

I frowned. "They never told you? I am an assassin. A good one at that. And they have instructed me to assist you. I have powers granted to me by the Outsider. His mark is on my hand, and I have powers that could greatly help you." And I held up my left hand, showing him the mark inscribed on the skin. "Anyway, Lord Pendleton and the Admiral are expecting you. Let's not keep them waiting."

Corvo and I arrived and the Admiral immediately started talking. "Ah, the man of the hour is here! Welcome, Corvo. I am Admiral Havelock, and I lead the group of Loyalists that is trying to bring down the Lord Regent."

"And I am Lord Trevor Pendleton. I represent the nobility in our little group, though we all act as equals here at the Hound Pits."

I stifled a giggle. Admiral Havelock was clearly the leader and was above all the servants. Being equals was not a word in the Admiral's vocabulary.

"But we have more important matters to discuss once you've rested Corvo," Havelock spoke again. "Aarin will show you to your room, and then we can talk in the morning."

Hugging Havelock and Pendleton goodnight, I led Corvo upstairs and to his room.

"My room is right here. Get me if you need anything. See you in the morning." And I blinked down the stairs.

I met with Pendleton and Havelock again. "Thanks, Aarin. Could you scout in the district again. I heard gunshots close by last night."

I nodded. "Of course."

20 minutes later, I found myself in the middle of a deserted street. Clenching my left hand briefly, my pupils shrank and a small voice in my head whispered, "It hides, it dies!" The only yellow figure that appeared was a weeper a couple blocks down. Blinking behind them, I stabbed my sword into their neck. They died instantly and I surveyed the ruins again. There were no yellow figures and no Overseer traps. This part of the city was still secure.

My pupils shrank back to normal, and I blinked back closer to the pub. I strolled back in the front door and saluted the two men before heading up to my room. Though there was someone already using my bed.

A run sat on my bed, and when I picked it up, I was drawn into the Void. The Outsider was standing next to me and I could see Corvo in the distance, trying to master Blink.

I looked up at the Outsider questioningly. "Why have you drawn Corvo into the Void?"

"Because I have seen the future. And he will prove to be most interesting, though he can accomplish nothing without me and my powers." He glanced down at me. "Are you jealous that my attention will now be split between the two of you?" he joked, smirking down at me.

"No," I grumbled, not meeting his gaze. Though, in truth, I was slightly jealous. That would mean that I would be seeing The Outsider less, and have to compete with Corvo for runes that we might find. "But what happens when we find a rune and both of us want to take it? I would like to talk to you, but he might take it first."

"Then I will make sure that there are two runes there, or I'll appear before both of you, regardless of who picked the rune up. I already thought about these things, Aarin. I can see the future remember?" He laughed and directed my attention at Corvo once more. "He seems to be doing well. But once he gets here, I think it will help him to see you and not just me, who he doesn't know, and doesn't trust."

A few minutes later, Corvo blinked to our position. "Aarin," he said, shocked. "Why are you here?"

I laughed. "I showed you the mark on the back of my hand. And now you have the same one. We both work under The Outsider."

Corvo looked between us for a few moments before keeping his attention on the deity.

"To help you find my runes that are scattered throughout the city, I give you this; the heart of a living thing. It will serve you well. Do not lose it." And he disappeared.

"Listen to the heart, Corvo. It will guide you. I have a power that let's me find them without the heart, so this is for when I'm not with you. Now, let's practice your blinking skills. Follow me," and I blinked off onto the next platform.

Sitting, and waiting for my mana to recharge, I watched Corvo's symbol glow and he appeared next to me. "Good job. Now try to keep up." And I blinked rapidly from platform to platform, out of his sight in a matter of seconds.

As I stopped at the final platform, The Outsider was waiting for me. "Well done, Aarin. Though you could have waited for him along the way," he chuckled. I pouted and crossed my arms, using my dark vision to try and see where he was located at.

My pupils shrank as he appeared next to me. "Why are your pupils so small?" he asked, flexing his hand.

I blinked and my vision returned to normal. "It's called Dark Vision, though what I have is specifically called Void Gaze. It allows me to see through walls to be able to place people, objects, and anything else that might harm me. Though I usually use it while I wear my mask so people don't get freaked out," I explained, the mark on my hand starting to burn from my large usage of mana.

"Send him back to the real world," I told the Outsider, moving my eyes to rest on him. "He needs his rest for what lies ahead of him. I'll head back in a moment."

With a sweep of his hand, Corvo was placed back in his own world, while I stood facing him still.

"Tell me," I began in a whisper. "Do you see me surviving for much longer?"

The Outsider sighed. "I have seen your future, and though it is grim, you live and find happiness. But I cannot tell you what to do, nor who you find peace with. But now you must go. Corvo is trying to wake you."


	2. Chapter 2

I opened my eyes and was met with Corvo shaking me. "Get up, Aarin. Pendleton and Havelock request our presence in half an hour. Breakfast is waiting on the table downstairs."

We both blinked downstairs, finding food as was promised. It consisted of bread, meat, and some ale. The ale was particularly good and helped me wake up after my somewhat restful sleep in the void.

While we were eating, Havelock instructed us to visit Piero, where he was busy making Corvo's mask. My own mask was similar. The only difference was that my mask was silver and gold.

Just as he was almost finished, the tank of whale oil ran out. "No! This can't happen now!" Piero angrily yelled. "Could you get me a new tank? Be very careful since the oil is unstable. When it explodes it creates a terrible mess."

I nodded to Corvo and he ran up the stairs to grab a new tank, since they were too heavy for me to carry. A minute later, he came back down and placed it in the holder. Piero finished the mask and stepped over to fit it on Corvo's face. The mask was beautiful but terrifying. It was designed like a skull, only the mouth was stitched together, as if holding in a terrible secret. It was perfect.

As soon as the mask was fitted, Havelock had a mission for us. We had to assassinate High Overseer Campbell. My hands had been itching to pick up my sword for weeks, waiting to spill blood.

Samuel was waiting for us at the dock, and as we got in, Havelock and Pendleton wished us luck. I saluted them and waved as we got farther away from the Hound Pits.

About 15 minutes later, we pulled up on the banks by the Distillery District. There was a new Watchtower on the bridge, so we have to be careful and blink from the boat to the shadow. One hit from the watchtower's missiles, we would just be chunks of flesh laying on the ground.

We made it to a courtyard away from the view of the tower, and decided to explore a nearby apartment. Turns out there was a rune in the backyard, but we had to pass an insane old lady, who was talking about birds. We quietly crept by, opening her back door.

The rune was sitting on an altar, bathed in purple light. I reached forward and picked it up, The Outsider appearing before us. "Be careful of the woman inside. They call her Granny Rags. Though she looks harmless, she practices dark magic. She can help you though. Listen to her, but don't get too caught up." And he disappeared in a puff of smoke.

Corvo and I looked at each other before sneaking back into the house. He hesitantly approached Granny, and she promised him a reward for getting rid of the "gentleman callers" at her front door. Corvo nodded and motioned me to follow him. There were men pounding on the front door and yelling at Granny Rags to let them in.

I unlocked the door and opened it, loosing an incendiary arrow on the first thug. He immediately burst into flames and the other thugs backed up a few steps. Then I switched to my regular crossbow bolts, shooting them straight in the forehead. I closed the door and smirked at Corvo. He hadn't even moved yet.

We told Granny that we got rid of the boys and she sent us upstairs to get our reward. I picked up the rune and turned around, screaming because she appeared right behind us. She mumbled a few words before walking away. I clutched my chest and breathed out. Corvo chuckled and rubbed my back. A warm feeling spread from where his hand touched me and my breath became slightly shallower.

Turning towards the balcony, I blinked to the ground and started walking, not even waiting for the other assassin to catch up. My back was still tingling and I didn't know what to make of it. Sure, I thought that Corvo was attractive, had since I had first met him a few years back, but I was not here looking for love. This was based on blood and revenge; nothing else.

Corvo blinked next to me and fell into step. "Did I say or do something back there?" he asked me, confusion in his voice.

"No. I just got really uncomfortable in that lady's apartment. I needed to get out. Sorry," I lied, slowing my walk and gazing up into the sky.

He shrugged and used his dark vision to see if we would run into anyone. Corvo didn't seem to see anyone, so we continued blinking from rooftop to rooftop. We ended up on Clavering Boulevard.

Doctor Galvani's office was right across the street. I could sense a rune and two bone charms hidden inside the building.

"Do you want to check out Dr. Galvani's place? There are two bone charms and a rune inside," I said, briefly turning my back to him and checking the street for rogue City Watchmen.

"I think we should. Since you can sense them, you should fin them while I watch your back," he replied, taking my hand and blinking us to the balcony three stories up.

As we opened the balcony door, it began to rain. Two guards were talking at the front of the room, so we both blinked to a side room bathed in red light. The room only held a few coins and there was a swarm of rats down at the far end. The guards soon stopped talking and we saw one get attacked by the rats.

The other one walked by our door to the other side of the room. I blinked behind him and grabbed him in a chock hold. He passed out and I placed him in one of the chairs. Corvo chuckled at his placement before opening the glass doors and heading up the stairs. The rune was hanging on a mirror by the main office doors. I grabbed it and we escaped out another pair of doors.

This time we were on the top floor balcony. There were about four guards patrolling the street. Not wanting to risk being seen, we blinked down to the alleyway, heading down the nearest stairway.

Bypassing the weepers, we came across two thugs hovering over the body of dead City Watch Guard. Dashing forward, I slit the throat of the first thug, and Corvo took care of the second one. I picked up the health and mana potion laying next to him.

"Good teamwork," Corvo said, grinning at me. I grinned back and crouched down, placing a finger against my lips.

We climbed the set of stairs to come out on another street. All the guards were rushing towards the Wall of Light where a horde of rats were swarming. They started to scream as they got bit. Corvo and I took this opportunity to make a dash to the door that lead to Holger Square.

Corvo closed the door behind me and we crept towards where Overseer Martin was, with another one talking to him.

"Hello, Martin. I heard that its the second day when the skin really starts to come off. Or is it the itching that gets you? Or the rats?" the masked Overseer said.

"Jasper, isn't it? Its not so bad in here, except I miss your wife," Martin replied.

I had to cover my mouth at his comment since I almost started laughing. I could imagine Jasper blushing beneath the mask.

"You don't scare easy, I'll give you that. But-," the rest of his sentence was cut off as I slit his throat.

"Corvo, what a sight you are in that mask. Release me and I'll buy you and your friend a drink. By the void, I'll buy you a hundred drinks."

I reached forward and unlocked his brace, letting Martin fall to the floor. "My name is Aarin Shade. And I'm also part of the Loyalist Conspiracy so I'm sure we'll be seeing more of each other," I told the former Overseer, blushing as he kissed the back of my hand.

"I'll make my own way back to the Hound Pits Pub. If I see Samuel the Boatman, I'll tell him to pick you up. Aarin, may you succeed in your mission and let our enemies head hit the floor without you getting a scratch. Corvo, protect her," Martin said, before walking out the door and back towards the water front.

I sheathed my blade and blinked to the top of an air duct. As we rounded a corner, I could hear two Overseer's talking about the Heretic's Brand. Zooming in with my mask, I amplified the sound so I could listen more closely.

"Have you ever seen the ritual?" one asked.

"No. Its reserved for an Overseer, or even the High Overseer if the situation calls for it. Though I was on retreat once when we passed through a fishing village and spied the face of one so branded. He was begging in the street," the taller one replied.

"What were his crimes?"

"Who knows? But as long as you remember the seven strictures, you need not worry about suck things."

"I will, brother," the shorter one said, before disappearing through a door.

Blinking on top of a rail car, I shot both remaining guards with an arrow. Both died instantly and turned to ash.

Motioning Corvo forward, we blinked up to the ventilation shaft again. I pointed to the light post and we hopped from light to light, until we got to the backyard door. He opened it for me and ushered me inside, closing it behind the both of us.

Immediately after walking through the door, we both crouched because there were two guards right ahead of us.

"Silence your lying tongue witch!" the one father away yelled.

I leapt into action and slit the throat of the first guard, before Corvo jumped down and took out the second one. Grenades fell out of their pockets and I picked them up happily. Grenades were so fun to use.

Ignoring the people that we saved, I stole the safe combination from his back pocket, and we kept moving forward. We walked around the corner and looked for a ledge that we could blink up to, since we knew there would be quite a few guards walking around.

We passed the guards and wolfhounds, coming to rest on the midway ledge of the building. It was small, and one slip would send us down. Corvo placed his hand on my back, steadying me. Tingles spread across my back from where he touched me, just like what had happened at Granny Rags apartment.

This time, there was no where for me to blink to, escaping from his touch. I continued on, trying to not focus on his hand. His fingertips brushed against the waistband of my pants, and I had to control myself from not turning around and kissing him. That would be a mistake since I didn't know if he would reciprocate or break the little bond we had.

Thankfully, we made it to the Office of the High Overseer quickly. Disabling the alarm near the door, we made our way in. Hiding behind a partition, we listened to an Overseer talk about the Outsider with three citizens.

I shook my head and blinked to a staircase that was off to the left. There was an Overseer about halfway down, but we easily got past him. But behind the set of glass doors in front of us, there was a gathering of three Overseer's all looking at a painting of the Lord Regent.

Corvo sucked in a sharp breath, but I silently pointed to a over head pipe system. He nodded at me and we both blinked on top of it, bypassing the Overseer's.

We crawled to the Library and found a book on the Heretic's Brand. While I was reading it, Corvo went to the upper floors to investigate. As I was reading abut where to find the brand, I heard a body hit the floor.

Blinking up to the top floor, I ran around the corner worried that Corvo might have been hit. But it was only an Overseer that my partner had knocked unconscious.

"I thought you got taken out," I breathed, hugging him tightly. He hugged me back, lifting me off the ground slightly. There was a 5 inch height difference between us.

We pulled apart and made our way back onto the overhead pipe system. We crawled to the meeting room, blinking down to the table. While Corvo watched my back, I switched the glasses, moving the poisoned one to Campbell's side. Motioning to the older assassin, we blinked to the top of the door and waited.

It was only a few minutes later when Campbell and Curnow made their way into the room. My breathing became shallower. Corvo seemed to notice and moved closer to me, placing a hand on my back.

Campbell took a sip of his drink and chocked on it. Keeping my fingers crossed, I watched the High Overseer drink more of the poisoned wine. A minute later, I saw him start to stumble around.

"No, no. This can't be right! Ah!"

Curnow stepped over to Campbell, almost reaching out to help him. "What's happening? Are you okay?"

"I never liked you! This is all your fault!" Campbell yelled before going limp on the floor.

Curnow stared in shock. "Campbell?" he whispered. Then, "Guards! Get in here!"

Two Lower Watch Guards and an Overseer ran in. Getting out my crossbow, I aimed at the Overseer's head. I hit my target straight on, his body dropping to the floor. Captain Curnow looked around to see where the shot came from and saw me.

"Thank you for saving my life. I assume we'll meet again soon."

I nodded before he waved to his men, and then all ran out the door, down the stairs, and out into the courtyard. Breathless, I blinked down to Campbell's body, picking up the black journal. Corvo looted the Overseer's body, finding a few crossbow bolts and 25 coin.

After placing the bodies in a storage closet, we blinked back to the overhead pipe system for a third time, and made our way back down the stairs. I used my Void Gaze and saw that there was rune in the basement. We went through the door labeled Kennels, and found a secret passage into what looked like a secret chamber for Campbell.

I broke the glass case, grabbing the rune. But I also found a note that led me to believe that Emily was at the Golden Cat. I tried looking through Campbell's journal, but the pages were so encrypted that I didn't have a chance in the short amount of time we had.

We finally made it back to Samuel, tired and ready to lay down. On the way back to the Hound Pits, Corvo sat on the seat, draping his arm across the back. I sat down on the end of the seat, but he wrapped the arm around my shoulders and pulled me over to him. Blushing, I tried to pull away, but he wasn't letting me go.

"I don't want you to get cold. The water isn't very warm at this time of night," Corvo explained. I smiled lightly and leaned against him, greedily taking the warmth he provided.

I must have fallen asleep because I opened my eyes and saw Corvo carrying me to my bedroom. Closing my eyes again, I smiled as he took off my boots and weapons and tucking the covers under my chin.


	3. Chapter 3

I woke up next morning to the smell of food. Taking a quick shower/bath, I changed into black, skin tight pants, a silver v-neck, and my black boots. I strapped my sword, crossbow and gun onto my hip, and carried my ammo belt down with me.

"Ah, Aarin. The Loyalists and myself would like to congratulate you and Corvo on a job well done. I don't think anyone else could have done it better," Havelock praised, gesturing for me sit at the table with Corvo, placing food and drink in front of me.

After we ate, Havelock briefed us on our next mission. We would have to infiltrate the Golden Cat, find Emily, and take out the Pendleton twins. Custis and Morgan were personal enemies of mine. They had my family killed because of their wealth. I was looking forward to impaling them on my sword.

We got to the Distillery District by noon. The sun was up, but we had to careful of the watchtower again. Blinking up the street, we ended up by Slackjaw's Distillery.

"Hey, you're just the two I's looking for. Slackjaw wants to talk to ya. In the distillery," one of Slackjaw's men told us, pointing to the entrance.

We walked in, making our way to the giant main distillery building. As we walked through the courtyard, I heard many of the thugs talking about the elixir and how its watered down. it didn't come as a surprise to me, but I wasn't about to say anything.

We finally made it to where Slackjaw was, and I had to say that the man was unappealing and creepy. When he came around the desk to talk to us, I hid behind Corvo, clutching onto his jacket. He seemed to catch onto my train of thought, and reached his hand around to touch my arm.

"Now here looks like two people out for villainy. But I may have a job for you two. One of my best men, Crowley, got captured while spying for me. i think he's being held by a man by the name of Galvani. Think you could look for him for me?"

Corvo agreed to find Slackjaw's partner, and we set off onto Bottle Street again. We walked down the street in silence, the only sound being the cry of a few stray birds. The afternoon sun shown between the buildings, casting wild shadows in the puddles scattered around. It was almost peaceful.

All too soon, we were at Galvani's place again and were ready to sneak through the upper balcony doors again. But this time, there were two guards in the room with us. I pointed to an open door on the side of the room, and Corvo and I blinked into it.

We only had to wait for a few moments, before one guard was eaten by rats a little farther in the room, while the other had his back to us. Corvo went to take care of the body, and I knocked the other guard unconscious, placing him on a chair.

We continued moving through the house, since I already saw that Crowley was up on the top floor. The main staircase was creaky, and each step we took was agonizing. I was praying to the Outsider that we would make it through this mission and those before us without either of us getting seriously injured.

Quickly shooting the two guards with sleeping darts, Corvo retrieved the message of the now dead prisoner. The trip back to the distillery was quick, and took barely any time at all.

Corvo and I crouched on the ledge of the Golden Cat, listening to a conversation between Madame Prudence and a guard.

"Now Morgan's on the first floor in the Ivory Room. All I can say is that it's very heavily soundproofed. I'll leave the rest to your imagination. And Custis is on the second floor in the Smoking Room. Sometimes he just sits in there and talks. It's amazing what people will pay for. And remember, if anything happens to the Pendleton's on your watch, you will be executed."

I pointed to a staircase across the way, and Corvo and I blinked over to it. Since the Madame's office was just below us, we decided to check there first. While I knocked the lady out, Corvo grabbed the Golden Cat Master key and some potions.

After a little while of scoping the place out, we made it to the back door of the Ivory Room. Morgan Pendleton was inside in all his bastard glory. Just hearing his voice made my grip on my sword tighten. Corvo opened the door and I crept inside, moving to stand behind a partition. I saw my partner ready a sleep dart as I prepared to grab Morgan and stab him.

On the count of three, Corvo knocked the courtesan unconscious while I grabbed Morgan. He flayed his arms, cursing at me.

"Hope you like hell," I told him, before stabbing my sword through his neck. I let go of the now limp body, watching it fall on the floor.

"We better put the bodies on the balcony, especially his since we don't want blood stains on the carpet," Corvo told me, picking up the now dead Pendleton brother's body.

I nodded and dragged the courtesan onto the balcony, not minding that her leg was hanging off the edge. After depositing both bodies, we blinked to the top floor, walking around the balcony to reach the Smoking Room. It wasn't hard to find since there was smoke curling out of the room and into the air.

Opening this door, we hid behind another partition. We nodded and carried this out the same way as the others. Corvo knocked out the courtesan while I stabbed Custis through the back, severing his spinal cord. This time I dragged the body to the balcony, purposefully letting the blood smear on the ground.

Once we blinked to a safe balcony, I got out the note that Corvo had grabbed tom the Madame'e office.

"Emily is upstairs in the dormitory!" I told Corvo, already blinking to the upper floor.

Once we reached the dormitory, Corvo opened the door. He stepped inside, me following right behind him.

"Who are you? What do you want?" Emily asked, standing up, though she hid behind her little couch. Corvo took off his mask and so did I. "Corvo!" She launched herself as my partner, hugging him tightly. "Who are you?"

Corvo turned to me, placing a hand behind my back. "This is Aarin Shade. She is my partner, which means she is always by my side. I hope you two can get along."

"Hello, Aarin. You're very pretty," Emily told me, before giving me a hug.

I hugged her back, smiling at Corvo. "Thank you. You have beautiful hair," I replied, stoking it softly.

Corvo and I put our masks back on, and followed Emily down the stairs. She showed us the VIP entrance, though she pretty much ran ahead of us, already gone by the time we got to the door ourselves. Sighing quietly, I leaned against the wall by the door, running my hand along the hilt of my sword.

Corvo came to rest next to me, his hand lightly brushing against mine. I shivered and tried to control the blush on my cheeks before Corvo noticed.

"You did a nice job today. I'm impressed," he whispered, kissing me on the cheek. Clearing my throat, I headed to the door, going through it without even seeing if Corvo was following.

The trek back to Samuel went by fairly quickly, and I collapsed in the boat. Corvo sat next to me, placing an arm around my shoulders again. The butterflies in my stomach were even stronger, and I couldn't resist snuggling up to him. My head rested on his chest, and I could feel every time he breathed. His hand ended up slipping down to my lower back, softly rubbing my waist. I fell asleep quickly.


	4. Chapter 4

"Aarin, wake up. Havelock and Martin have another mission for us. We can sleep tonight," Corvo told me, shaking me awake. I nodded and grabbed some water from the river, splashing it on my face. The cold woke me up, and as we traveled to the Kaldwin Bridge area, I checked over my weapons.

It was late afternoon when we arrived, Samuel informing us that in order to get to the pick up spot, we needed to take out the floodlights that shown on the water. After those were taken care of, then we needed to kidnap Anton Sokolov, the Royal Physician. Sokolov was directly involved with the Lord Regent, designing most of his security technologies.

As Samuel was puling away from the dock, Corvo and I were making our way across a heating duct, hiding behind a large billboard. There were about 6 guards around this area, but the door was a blink away. We waited for the City Watch Officer to turn away before we blinked.

The inside of the building seemed to be some kind of rail station. Heading upstairs, I saw there was a railcar that needed some Whale Oil to power it. I went to grab the tank while Corvo collected some coins, a key, and some blueprints for Piero. Once the whale oil was plugged in, we both got in, crouching so the guards couldn't see us. The trip across was nerve-wracking, and my nerves were on edge the entire time.

"Are they really that stupid that they didn't find anything wrong with a rail car moving on its own?" I whispered to Corvo, as he carefully climbed out of the cart.

He shrugged. "There is a reason that the City Watch has a reputation of being stupid. And there is not City Watch Officer stationed here, so they probably don't like to do anything if they don't have orders."

An hour passed and we were finally at the bridge. The tall steel structure just scraped the sky, a chill wing echoing through the structure.

"Wow," I murmured. "I've never been here before. It's very impressive."

Corvo nodded. "It is. This was Jessamine's biggest project before the plague started killing off most of Dunwall."

A staircase ran down next to the bridge courtyard, so we went that way, having to blink down the last part which was ruined. Corvo was very anxious about the Arc Pylon keeping watch, so I used my Void Gaze to find the rewire panel. It was right above us, and I rewired it quickly, a small smile gracing my face when I heard the screams of the City Watch getting vaporized.

"6 down, a million more to go," I said, grinning.

Blinking to a steel walkway, we followed it to a guard house, an alarm right near two that were paling cards. I shot both with a sleeping dart, Corvo taking care of the bodies. Across the room, there were bullets and elixirs. I grabbed it all, reloading my pistol.

Using my void gaze again, I saw there was another Arc Pylon above us. The whale oil tank for it was just around the corner, so I unplugged it, and made my way up the stairs. I could tell Corvo was right behind me since I could feel his hand on my back. Once again, the butterflies and shivers were back, flowing from the place that Corvo was touching.

Rolling my shoulders, I took out my blade and prepared to slit the throat of the guard that was near the Arc Pylon. Only to my surprise, he was no longer there. A peek down the ramp showed me that he was near the smaller guard house. I sighed since that was one less person that we had to worry about.

We continued up the stairway, blinking up a few flights to save time. My Void Gaze showed that there was Watch Officer on the top floor which was where the bridge controls were located. While I blinked to the ledge across the from the guard, Corvo blinked behind him, strangling him and knocking him unconscious. Corvo activated the bridge controls while I gathered some incendiary bolts and another key.

After the bridge was raised, we blinked onto it, making our way to the floodlight whale oil receptacles. Using the key I grabbed from the control room, I unlocked the cage door. Corvo and I both grabbed a whale oil tank, throwing it off the side of the bridge, and watching them explode in the water. A few seconds after the lights were out, I could see Samuel's boat start coming towards the bridge.

Blinking onto the support beams, we slid down them until we got to the guard station. Using that as cover, we then leaped to an overhead pipe system, which led to the access door for the Midrow Substation.

After another half hour of bypassing guards and collecting runes, we finally made it to Sokolov's house. The Royal Physician's house was huge, and there were guards patrolling the many roads and access points into the mansion.

"Let's sit here and rest for a bit while we figure out a way into this place. There are no easy access points," Corvo said, sliding down the nearest wall. I followed suit and placed my sword on my legs, watching the sunlight reflect on the opposite wall.

After a few minutes of thinking, I finally thought of something. "I can possess the guard on that top balcony! You'll either have to stay here or find another way in though."

"Alright. I think that will be the best way. I'll stay here," he replied, moving to stand up.

Sheathing my sword, I moved to stand at the edge of the roof. I was about to clench my fist when Corvo placed a hand on my shoulder.

"Please be safe," he whispered, leaning in close, pressing a kiss to my forehead.

Clenching my fist, I felt my body get sucked through a tube. When I opened my eyes, everything was green and hazy. I had successfully possessed the guards mind. Clenching my fist again, I released my hold on the poor man, watching him vomit, before knocking him unconscious. Leaving the body where it was, I crouched and activated Void Gaze. I saw the Sokolov was alone in the top room, which made the whole kidnapping business easier.

"And now I turn my hopes and energies to Formula 25," Sokolov said, before I blinked behind him and knocked him out. His body slumped against the table, and I took the time to take his key, rune, and health potion that was nearby.

"Please don't hurt me!" I heard someone say.

Startled, I turned around and saw a woman locked in a cage. I walked closer to her.

"I'm not here to hurt you. I was only here for Sokolov. Actually, I have the key." I let her out, and watched sadly as she hid in a corner after complaining that the pain was too bad.

Grabbing Sokolov, I walked back out onto the balcony. I saw Corvo on the roof still, so I blinked over to him. I dumped the Royal Physician at his feet, sneering at his body in disgust.

"This man is disgusting. He was testing on human beings!" I ranted, pacing back and forth on the roof. "He is giving his test subjects the plague and then testing his new formula's on them. There was a pile of bodies already in the corner."

Corvo gathered me in a hug, and I buried my face in his chest. The warmth was nice against the chilly wind blowing through the empty buildings. I heard him sigh, and I lifted my head, puzzled, but froze when I realized how close our faces were. If I moved forward a couple centimeters, then our lips would be touching. His warm breath hit my face, and goosebumps formed on my body.

"Aarin," he whispered, gazing into my eyes.

A small smiled formed on my lips. "Yes?" I breathed, not wanting to speak too loud, lest I ruin the moment.

Corvo leaned forward, our lips almost touching, when an alarm started to blare. We both pulled away, turning towards Sokolov's house.

"They must have realized that he's been taken," Corvo said, picking up the body and turning the other way. "We need to go, Aarin."

I agreed, and we both blinked down to where Samuel was waiting. He was leaning against the wall, but stood up straight when he noticed us at the entrance of the tunnel.

After placing Sokolov in the bottom of the boat, I sat at the back. Corvo sat next to me like usual, and sat closer to me then he usually did. I figured that it had something to do with the almost kiss, so I laid my head on his shoulder. My breath on his neck caused him to shiver and I smirked.


	5. Chapter 5

The next morning, I woke up on my own. It was strange since there wasn't a mission that had to be carried out right away. Stretching, I got out of the bed and took a quick shower. After I got out, I changed into a pair of tight, black pants, a red v-neck, and black boots. My sword, crossbow, and gun were on my belt.

I walked by Corvo's room on my way downstairs and saw that he was already awake and gone. Continuing my way to the pub, I saw Havelock and Pendleton indulging in some morning drinking. Callista was preparing breakfast, and she set a plate for me when she noticed me.

Taking my plate, I sat across from Corvo, who was silently eating his eggs.

"Hey," I said, picking at the slightly cold food on my plate.

"Hey, Aarin," he replied, smiling at me. His smile made butterflies appear in my stomach, and my cheeks flushed when I remembered the almost kiss. "Once you eat, Havelock would like us to interrogate Sokolov. Apparently he woke up this morning, and demanded to be released."

After we ate, we walked across the courtyard and made our way to the old hound kennels. Pendleton was standing just outside, seemingly in thought. We didn't want to disturb him, so we walked around him, and up the stairs.

Havelock was leaning against a large metal crate, while Sokolov was pacing in the cage. It was a sight to see, but I felt it was deserved after what the Royal Physician had been doing with his test subjects.

"Ha! I knew you two were part of this rabble, though I don't know your role in all this. This was expected, Corvo. But its a shock seeing you with the Loyalist scum, Aarin. Didn't your father teach you better?" Sokolov said, smirking at me. I scoffed and spit at him.

"Corvo, Aarin. We need to find out the name of the Lord Regent's mistress, and Sokolov painted her a few months back. Get the answer from him however you see fit," Havelock told us, and I was more than willing to comply.

"Sokolov," I murmured seductively, slowly walking towards his cage. "Have you ever painted any woman naked?"

I could see him narrow his eyes, though they strayed to my body. "I have not."

"What about painting me in a nude portrait in exchange for her name?"

I could see him thinking the offer over. To persuade him more, I grabbed one of the bars and rolled my body against it. His eyes strayed to my breasts again.

Glancing over my shoulder, I saw Havelock looking at my ass, while Corvo was glaring at Sokolov. His expression took me off guard, and my grip on the pole slipped for a moment.

"Very well. But I never saw her face, since I was told to paint her from behind, but I assure you that she still made a striking portrait. Her name was Lady Boyle, but I do not know which Boyle she is," the Royal Physician finally admitted, placing his hands behind his back. "In fact, I was supposed to go to a masked ball in her honor tonight. Though it seems that I will miss that party."

Havelock turned to us. "A masked ball at the Boyle Estate? The timing couldn't be more perfect. Corvo, you and Aarin will attend that party tonight, and find out which Boyle sister is the Lord Regent's mistress."

"And you two already have masks don't you," Sokolov interjected as we were leaving.

Corvo didn't seem to pay too much mind to it, but it got me worried. How did Sokolov know that we had masks? That would mean that he knew we were the masked felons! I vowed to find out how he knew, and who might have leaked information to him.

Around dusk, Callista helped me into my party outfit. It consisted of tight, black pants, a silver crop top, and black, heeled boots. The weather was warm, so my upper body wouldn't get cold since everything but my breasts were exposed.

Corvo was wearing his usual clothes, only these were clean with no trace of blood. He was taking all his weapons with him, while I was only taking my sword. It wasn't custom for women to carry any weapons at all, so I was taking a huge risk with my sword.

Corvo was already waiting in the boat with Samuel when Callista finished with my hair and makeup. As I walked down to the boat, with Havelock escorting me, I felt beautiful. As a child, I never enjoyed getting dressed up for parties, and usually opted out. And once I became an assassin, makeup and fancy clothes were at the back of my mind, so the party was a nice change.

The trip to the Estate District was short, only about 20 minutes. Corvo helped me out of the boat, before crouching down since there were tallboys patrolling the area.

We blinked across the courtyard, and up onto a roof across from the mansion. A window on the other side of the roof had a purple light glowing through it, and I knew that there was an Outsider Shrine in there.

After grabbing the rune, the Outsider appeared before us. His eyes still as black as death itself.

"Going to a party, Aarin, Corvo? I can see all her tomorrows and I know that either she dies tonight at your hand or she'll live out her days, month after month, year after year, far away, even as her fine clothes wear into tatters and her silken hair gets dull and gray. Half the city can see the lights from the party, and they dream of the delights inside. Will you tear it all to pieces? Either way, it's Lady Boyle's last party," the Outsider told us, before disappearing in a puff of black smoke.

The next step was getting into the party. Pendleton had somehow gotten us invitations. Corvo and I were posing as a married couple under the name of Fraser. Once we got past the tall boys, we walked up to the guard and handed him the invitation, praying that he would let us in.

"Right this way, Mr. and Mrs. Fraser," the guard said, gesturing to the front doors.

Corvo placed his hand on my back, guiding me inside. If we were going to pass as a couple, then we would have to show gestures of affection towards each other. As we passed through the front doors, I could see both guards staring at my almost exposed chest. I coughed and crossed my arms. Both snapped their attention to my face, an apologetic look in the Watch Officer's eye.

The party was inside the mansion tonight, so Corvo and I made our way through the front doors. The smell of wine and the loud sound of talking hit me like a wave as soon as the doors had closed behind me.

"Careful. We tried for a peek upstairs, but the man on duty is an ass," a woman told us, her other two companions studying our masks closely.

I nodded my head at her, before taking Corvo's arm and heading to another room. There were whale statues everywhere, and they would shoot out confetti at regular intervals, causing quite a mess to be on the floor. A few people stared at our masks as they passed, but none tried to talk to us, which I was grateful for. Except for a man who called himself Lord Brisby.

"I know your mission tonight. We must speak, privately."

Corvo and I followed the strange man into another room, where he stood in a corner and waited for us.

"I don't know how to say this, but your target is the woman I love. I swear that if you bring her to me, you'll never hear of her again. I have a boat in the cellar. Her name is Esma."

As we were walking away, I shuddered. Lord Brisby was creepy and really scared me. I could just imagine his eyes scanning over my body.

We were walking down another hallway, when I spotted a bathroom. Pulling Corvo into the room with me, I closed the door.

"Before we continue, we need a plan. I can't just walk around and not have a clue to what I'm supposed to be doing," I told Corvo, leaning back against the sink.

He nodded. "I think we need to find a way upstairs and look for clues. From the snippets of conversation I've heard, the Boyle sisters are wearing identical costumes in different colors. We need to figure out which one is Esma, so that requires sneaking upstairs."

I nodded. Taking off my mask, I sighed deeply. The mask made things smell odd and unnatural. Corvo did the same, placing it on his belt. Suddenly, Corvo's pupils shrank. When they returned to normal, he had a nervous look on his face.

"Someone's coming! We don't have time to get out of here!"

I gasped and tried to lock the door, but the key broke in half.

"Damn it! Ok, I have an idea. If someone catches a man and a woman in a bathroom talking, then things don't turn out so well. But if they are found kissing or having sex, then no one questions it," I explained, already hopping up on the counter.

Corvo looked unsure, but I could hear the person's footsteps at that point.

"Hurry! They are right outside the door!" I almost shrieked. Losing patience, I grabbed Corvo's collar, and pulled him to me.

Our lips connected, and the only thought in my mind was 'Corvo is kissing me!' As the bathroom door started to open, I wrapped my legs around his waist, pulling him against me.

"Oh, sorry!" the woman yelled, causing the both of us to pull apart. "Just continue on!" She left quickly, and my cheeks colored.

"That was close," I whispered, trying to calm my raging heartbeat. Corvo was silent, a blank expression on his face.

I went to pull away, but the older assassin grabbed my face and kissed me again. My eyes widened, but I kissed back, my eyes slowly closing again. His lips were rough and warm, in perfect contrast to my own soft ones.

"Corvo," I sighed, wrapping my arms around his neck. My fingers tangled in his hair, loving the feeling of the soft strands.

In response, Corvo pulled me against him, pressing our chests together. My breasts were squished, but his warmth made my lower regions tingle.

I reluctantly pulled away, remembering the mission that we needed to accomplish.

"As much as I'm enjoying this, we need to figure out which Lady Boyle is Esma," I told Corvo, resting my head on his shoulder.

"Yes. I heard some other guests talking about that, and it seems that we need to find a way upstairs. But at the main staircase, there is a wall of light. And I haven't seen another way up yet."

Corvo straightened his jacket while I made my hair look presentable. I opened the door, and peeked around, sighing in relief when there was no one lurking nearby, not even a guard.

Corvo and I made our way back out into the party, my hand on his arm again. Guests passed us by, some commenting on our masks like others had before.

After a while, we found a back staircase to the upstairs, but a guard was posted in front of it.

"No guests past this point," the guard told us, moving forward and causing us to back up.

I steered us backwards and down the staircase that went to the kitchens. A couple of maids were down there smoking and preparing food. They paid little mind to us and I was glad for that. I was sure that they had many drunk guests come down here to be alone.

I explored the other rooms, but there were only barrels and a few coins. Hearing a grunt behind me, I saw the guard walking around, his eyes roaming up and down my body.

Corvo came up behind me and placed his arms around my waist. I leaned back into him, wishing that the guard could see my smirk.

While Corvo went up the stairs to check if the guard in the kitchen was the guard that had been stationed in front of the staircase. The guard got very close to me, close enough that I could feel his breath on the back of my neck. I stiffened up, not daring to move. One of his hands came around to softly stroke my stomach. HIs touch spurred me to action, but he grabbed me before I could escape.

"Let me go, bastard!" I screamed at him, trying to get out of his grip. His grip wasn't budging, so I reached back and kicked him in the groin. The guard doubled over and I made my escape.

I found Corvo waiting just on the others side of the staircase. He motioned for me to follow him, so I grabbed his hand and he led me to the top floor. The staircase got darker and colder as we walked, and goosebumps appeared on my arms.

We opened a door and saw a dimly lighted bedroom, the furnishings were mainly purple. Directly across from us was a spacious bathroom. We crept forward. While Corvo walked around the room collecting potions and coins, I investigated the bathroom. A large ornate tub was in the middle, with golden claws to support it.

Next to the tub, there was a small notebook. I grabbed it and read through the entry that was on the open page, and my mouth dropped open in surprise. Esma was wearing red, and Hiram had given her an all access key to Dunwall Tower. That would come in handy later.

"Corvo," I whisper shouted, looking around the room for him. "I found a diary that said Esma would be in red tonight, along with an all access key to Dunwall Tower!"

"Amazing, Aarin!" Corvo said, pulling me close and kissing me. I kissed back, but pulled away when we heard someone clear their throat nearby.

We quickly walked out of the room, and down the back staircase again. The guard was not at his post still, so we slipped back out into the party.

As we walked, I leaned over to whisper in Corvo's ear, "When we find her, you need to talk to her. See if you can get her alone."

He nodded and we continued to walk around the huge mansion, hoping to catch a glimpse of the Boyle sister in red. It wasn't a few minutes later when we spotted her. She was standing near the fireplace, warming her hands. I pushed Corvo towards her, and I slinked away, telling Corvo that I was going to walk around the courtyard, and to get me when he was done.

I only had to wait a half hour before Corvo showed up. In that time, I had gotten hit on by 7 guards, dueled Lord Shaw, and admired the fireworks.

"How did it go? What happened?" I asked my partner, as soon as I saw him walk out the main doors. He shook his head and told me wait until we were in Samuel's boat.

Once we were in Samuel's boat, and I was snuggled up against his side, he sighed quietly.

"It didn't take much to get her alone. I convinced her that I wanted to play some sexual role playing game in the cellar. But once we got there, she ripped our masks off before kissing me. It caught me off guard, but started to panic that she would raise an alarm once she opened her eyes and saw who I was. So, I knocked her out and delivered her to Lord Brisby."

My face twisted, and I didn't say much. I knew that Corvo hadn't planned on kissing Esma, but the thought it made my stomach churn. For the remainder of the ride back to the Hound Pits, I stayed silent, my eyes open but not really seeing.


	6. Chapter 6

The next morning, I got dressed in black, tight pants, laced boots, a silver v-neck, and I had my weapons strapped to my belt. Corvo was eating at one of the booth's downstairs, so I grabbed an apple and joined him, this time sitting on the same side.

"Aarin," he greeted, checking to see if anyone was around, before placing a quick kiss on my lips.

After breakfast, Corvo and I decided to walk around the Hound Pits. Emily was in her lessons with Callista, and Havelock didn't need us again until that night, when we going to take down the Lord Regent. Once we out of direct sight of the main building, Corvo took my hand and pulled me over to a look out. The view was nice, with the early morning sun reflecting brilliantly off the Sea of Dunwall.

But across the way was the Tower of Dunwall, a huge flag with the Regent's face on it, waving in the breeze. I sneered at the flag before turning towards Kaldwin's Bridge. It still stood tall and skeletal like against the sky.

That night, Corvo and I climbed into Samuel's boat. The boatman seemed down, but I chalked that up to the changes that were going to take place once the Lord Regent was killed. Our hands were entwined together, with Corvo's thumb rubbing soft circles on my skin.

We arrived at the water lock, and Samuel told us that we had to swim the rest of the way inside. I didn't like the thought of getting all my clothes wet, but I jumped in anyway.

After a lot of struggle, and wringing out of wet clothes, Corvo and I finally made it to the Tower interior. We had bypassed the guards, tall boys, and watchtower by blinking over to some scaffolding and creeping our way to the Tower ledge. Once inside, we heard the voice of the Lord Regent.

"Any news, General?" he asked, peering at the two guards through he monitor.

"There haven't been any reports of disturbances on the grounds, Lord Regent. Maybe you should stay in your Safe Room though, just in case."

Hiram shook his head. "No. I need the comfort of my own bed tonight."

The screen clicked off, and the two guards went their separate ways. Corvo and I walked around the upper ledge for a moment, before hopping off onto a balcony near the Broadcast Control Station. Corvo said he would investigate it, while I explored the upper floors.

I blinked from chandelier to chandelier, hoping that the guards and lone Overseer wouldn't see me. There was also a music box that the Overseer was softly playing, which was giving me a headache, but not enough to drain my powers. The hound that was with him was also worrying, but I hoped that it couldn't catch my scent from all the way on the ceiling.

I found the Regent's bedroom door, but I didn't go in, letting Corvo handle the planning and execution of Hiram himself. Instead, I looted storage rooms and read books on the Empire. I also read that Corvo was the first Royal Protector that wasn't born in Gristol, and was from Serkonos instead.

I myself was born in Gristol, Dunwall to be precise, but had been on many holidays with my family. We had traveled to Serkonos, Tyvia, and Morley. But my parents had been killed on a trip to the Pandyssian continent. I was only 15 when it happened, but I learned to survive on my own. A couple of neighbors kept a watch on me, but they let me stay in my parents house alone, until I could afford to move away. My parents house was in the middle of the Estate District, but once I turned 18, I moved to the Port District, where I got a job as a black market smuggler and assassin.

I was so lost in my thoughts that I didn't hear the door open. A maid walked in, and I had just enough time to hide behind a curtain. She passed me and I crept up behind her, pulling her into a choke hold and making her fall unconscious. I gently placed her on the bed that was in the room, pulling the curtains around her, blocking her from view of the door.

I peeked out the keyhole to make sure the coast was clear, and blinked when I saw it was. The Overseer was walking just around the far corner, his steps faltering slightly. I froze up, hoping that he couldn't see me on the chandelier, but it seems he couldn't since he kept walking straight, his head not straying.

I managed to make it back to where the Lord Regent's chambers were, but went through a side door. On the other side of that room, I could see the balcony to his room. Corvo was standing there, holding something in his hands. It looked like an audio graph, and I was confused, but he blinked over to me when he saw me.

"I'm not going to kill the Lord Regent," Corvo told me, starting to walk towards the Broadcast Control Tower. "I have enough blood on my hands as it is, so I have this audio graph that I'm going to play. This will reveal his misdoings, and he will be taken to prison."

I nodded in understanding as I followed my partner up the steps. There was no one at the top, but Corvo seemed to know where to place the recording. Immediately, it began to play;

"If I explain, then you will see, I am not at fault. My Poverty Eradication Plan was meant to bring prosperity to the City, to rid us of those scoundrels who waste their days in filth and drink, without homes or occupations other than to beg for the coin for which the rest of us toil.

And it was a simple plan – bring the disease bearing rats from the Pandyssian Continent, and let them take care of the poor for us. The plan worked perfectly. At first. But the rats – it was if they sought to undo me. They hid from the catchers, and bred at a sickening rate. Soon it didn't matter, rich, poor, all were falling sick.

And then people began to ask questions. The Empress assigned me to investigate whether the rats had been imported by a foreign power. I knew the truth would come out eventually. So there was no other way than to be rid of her, and take power myself. She had to die, you see. SHE HAD TO DIE.

Bringing about the death of an Empress is not an easy thing, but it gave me the chance to attack the plague with some real authority. Quarantines! Deportation of the sick! But there's always some idiot woman searching for her wretched lost babe, or some sniveling workman searching for his missing wife. And then quarantine is broken!

But you can see how my plan should have worked? Would have worked! If everyone had just followed orders."

I was shocked. I didn't know that the Lord Regent had been behind all of it! My stomach felt sick after I heard the confessions, but that was pushed to the back of my mind when I heard some guards arresting Hiram Burrows, and preparing him for the walk to Coldridge Prison.

Corvo hugged me before leading me out of the Broadcast Control Tower, and back to the exterior ledge. We made it back to Samuel in record time, and he seemed pleased with our work.

"Is that it? Is it all over now?" Samuel asked us.

I nodded. "Yes. The time of the Lord Regent is ended."

The ride back to the Hound Pits was silent, but it was a conferrable silence. But when we arrived, Samuel told us he would be staying in his boat, to reflect. That made me suspicious though. Samuel wouldn't miss something like this, though I let it go since I was so happy that Emily could now be placed on the throne.

As soon as we walked in the door, Pendleton, Havelock, and Martin were almost on top of us. They were congratulating us and shoving a drink in our hands. While mine a golden color like everyone else's, I noticed that Corvo's had a slight green tint to it. I narrowed my eyes at it, but didn't act on my thought, letting myself enjoy the party.

"To Corvo and Aarin! With their help we have taken down the evil regime, which allows us to place the rightful heir on the throne!" the Admiral said, toasting to us.

We all drank from our glasses, the whiskey tasting good after the mission. Corvo seemed to enjoy his drink as well, so I finished mine before walking over to see how Emily was doing. She was drawing a picture of a rainbow over the Hound Pits Pub.

"Hello, Aarin," she greeted, not looking up from her drawing. "The Admiral said that you and Corvo did something good tonight."

"Yes. You will be crowned Empress tomorrow," I replied, looking behind me and sneaking a glance at Corvo. He looked slightly sick, but I attributed that to too much alcohol.

"I know. But I'm worried that I won't make a goof Empress."

"You will be amazing. You will have Corvo and I to help you along the way with anything that you need," I told her, before walking back over to Corvo. He stumbled a little bit, and I volunteered to take him upstairs to his room.


	7. Chapter 7

I dropped him off at his door, before making my way back downstairs. As I reached the bottom step, a hand grabbed me and pulled me through the front door. From the gloves they had on, I figured it was Martin.

"Be a good girl and don't struggle," Martin told me, placing a blindfold over my eyes. I whimpered but did as he told me, hearing the click of a gun.

"Get Emily and load her in the boat. We need to make it to KingSparrow Island by the morning," Havelock yelled, seeming to move past me.

I suddenly remembered Corvo and became scared. "Where is Corvo? What have you done with him?!"

Martin chuckled. "Corvo won't be a problem for any of us anymore. We poisoned his drink and then we're going to present his body to the public and become famous. The murderer of the Empress. We'll be seen as heroes!"

Suddenly, I heard someone else come running across the courtyard.

"Corvo's body is gone! That damn boatman must have taken it!" Pendleton. That bastard.

I sucked in a sharp breath when I felt a hand run down my face. It was gloved so I knew it was Martin.

"Don't touch me!" I growled, trying to jerk away, but his grip on me was tight.

"Calm down, Aarin. We're only appreciating your beauty. And maybe when this is all over, you can show us your gratitude for saving your life!"

I growled in my throat at the men around me, but they only pushed me into a boat. From the sounds I could hear, Emily was nearby, but I had no idea where. A few minutes later, I heard Havelock call out to the servants.

"Everyone line up! Its time for your raise!"

The sound of gunshots was overwhelming. I screamed, loudly, trying to block out the horrible noises of brains being blown out and scattered over the ground.

"Alright. Now that that's taken care of, call the guards and tallboys in. If Corvo EVER comes back, this is where he will go. And I need them to try to get Sokolov and Piero out of that shop! Everyone else, we're shipping off!" Havelock yelled out, starting the engine.

When the boat came to a stop, sunlight was streaming through the blindfold. I had no orientation, so I didn't know if we had traveled North or South to the sea.

Someone grabbed me out of the boat, pushing me into a sitting position. My blindfold was taken off, and I squinted against the harsh sunlight. We were on an island. Emily was also taken out of the boat, but Havelock refused to take off her blindfold, leading her forward. Martin took my arm and pulled me along as well, towards the intimidation structure that loomed against the cheery sky.

Our destination was at the very top, the impressive Lighthouse. Havelock locked Emily in a room, while I was tied to one of the many chairs around the large table. I growled at Martin, but he wouldn't look me in the eye, only concentrating on his work.

Pendleton was already drinking, and Havelock was simply staring into the fire. It was odd that no one was talking, but I took the silence.

I was eventually untied, but didn't leave the room knowing that Havelock would send for guards to kill me as soon as I made a run for it. Havelock paced around the table, his eyes almost never leaving my figure. A shudder ran through me, but I stood my ground. I wasn't going to let him see that I was scared.

That night, I was locked in another room, the only thing in it being a bed and some clothes. I ignored the bed and took a shower/bath in the adjoining bathroom. After I was clean, I looked at the clothes. They were a pair of my black, tight pants, with my silver v-neck. I changed and laid down, hoping to catch some sleep. I dreamed of Corvo that night.

I was woken early in the morning to Martin grabbing me. He pushed me out the door and back into one of the chairs. Pendleton was already passed out in one, and Martin's face looked grim. I wan't sure what he was looking down about, until I saw him pour a vial of poison into his glass of wine. And that was when I realized that Pendleton wasn't breathing next to me. The Overseer lifted the glass to his lips and drank, before sitting down and placing his head on the table.

A couple hours later, Havelock let me up to use the bathroom, and then back to the chair. I was praying that Corvo would be able to make it here and take down Havelock.

My prayers were answered a half hour later, when I saw a dark shadow out of the corner of my eye. Corvo! Havelock had his back to the table, so my partner snuck up behind the Admiral. Havelock turned and looked from the corner of his eye.

"Did you think I'd fight you, Corvo? Sorry to disappoint. This is the key to Emily's cell. Go one and take it. And untie Aarin while you're at it," the Admiral said, motioning to the key and then to me. "Kill me or take me to Coldridge Prison. Its your choice, but remember, they are watching."

Corvo grabbed the key and turned to me, but I saw Havelock unsheathe his sword.

"Corvo! Behind you!"

The male assassin spun around and blocked Havelock's blow. The two swords clanged, sparks flying. In his other hand, the Admiral drew his gun and aimed it at Corvo's chest. But my lover was quicker, and dodged, before grabbing Havelock's arm and plunging the blade through. He mauve red his arm and pointed the gun at Havelock's head, pulling the trigger. Blood splattered against the fireplace, and his body laid on the ground, lifeless.

Corvo rushed over to me, untying the rope, and hugging me against his chest. I breathed in his scent and nuzzled my face into his warmth. I pulled back slightly, and stood on my tiptoes, my mouth now level with his. Corvo surged forward and connected our lips, electricity flowing through both of us.

"I thought you were dead," i told him, disconnecting our lips briefly, before pushing them back together again.

We got lost in the kissing, until we heard a pounding on a door. "Emily," I said.

Corvo released me, and I went around, gathering my weapons. It was then I noticed the Overseer music box softly playing in the corner. I shut it off, and felt my headache disappear, and the familiar surge of power in my hand. That was why I felt such a heavy weight on my chest earlier.

I walked back into the main room and saw Corvo and Emily embrace. As Corvo talked to her about what happened, I checked over my weapons, and made sure that everything was in order before placing it on my belt.

As we rode the elevator down from the lighthouse, Emily didn't say much. The guards were no where to be seen, and I looked at Corvo questioningly. He sighed.

"About half are dead, while the other half are unconscious. I did the best I could, Aarin," he murmured, so Emily wouldn't hear. I nodded and ran a hand down his arm.

We finally made it to the coast, and saw Samuel waiting there for us. We got in the boat, Emily immediately running to sit next to the boatman. Corvo and I sat in the back like usual, me cuddled into his side.


End file.
